CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTY-THIRD COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. R-19-182 ENACTMENT NO. ____________________
SPONSORED BY: Ken Sanchez and Trudy Jones
RESOLUTION
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Renaming The Albuquerque Regional Sports Complex As The Jennifer Riordan Spark Kindness Sports Complex In Honor Of Jennifer Riordan, A Baseball Mom, Volleyball Mom And Community Advocate In The City Of Albuquerque, Who Believed And Exhibited Being Kind, Loving, Caring And Sharing (Sanchez, Jones)
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RENAMING THE ALBUQUERQUE REGIONAL SPORTS COMPLEX AS THE JENNIFER RIORDAN SPARK KINDNESS SPORTS COMPLEX IN HONOR OF JENNIFER RIORDAN, A BASEBALL MOM, VOLLEYBALL MOM AND COMMUNITY ADVOCATE IN THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE, WHO BELIEVED AND EXHIBITED BEING KIND, LOVING, CARING AND SHARING.
WHEREAS, The Albuquerque Regional Sports Complex is a venue of which Jennifer Riordan and her family were a great part during the planning and design of the baseball complex, the venue’s first phase. It is a place where Jennifer planned on spending many of her weekends watching her young son and daughter play baseball; and
WHEREAS, On November 22, 2017 the grand opening of the sports complex was celebrated with Alex Bregman of the Houston Astros, former COO Michael Riordan, his wife Jennifer Riordan and their young son and daughter, many elected officials and community members of Albuquerque; and
WHEREAS, Jennifer Riordan believed in the potential of every young individual and took the time to help everyone she encountered; and
WHEREAS, Jennifer Riordan graduated from the University of New Mexico and strived in a career for more than two decades in community relations and communications. She was vice president for community relations at Wells Fargo and volunteered her time with a number of area nonprofit groups and boards. In 2015 she was appointed by the Governor to a board focused on boosting volunteerism statewide and in 2015 was presented the Bill Daniels Award for Ethical Young Leadership by the Samaritan Counseling Ethics in Business Awards; and
WHEREAS, because of the love Jennifer Riordan had for her family, her community and future generations and her passion for baseball and keeping kids active and out of trouble, she helped guide children as well as adults to do their best and spark kindness in doing so to achieve success for themselves as well as everyone with whom they worked; and
WHEREAS, The Jennifer Riordan Foundation continues Jennifer’s spirit “to be kind, loving, caring and sharing” with the goal to make Albuquerque the kindness capital of the world; and
WHEREAS, in order to recognize Jennifer Riordan’s belief in being kind, loving, caring and sharing, the City Council with great honor, is pleased to rename the “Albuquerque Regional Sports Complex” the “Jennifer Riordan Spark Kindness Sports Complex” in honor of the values Jennifer stood for and instilled in her children and the many other children and community members with whom she worked and assisted throughout her life.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE:
Section 1. The Albuquerque Regional Sports Complex is hereby named the “Jennifer Riordan Spark Kindness Sports Complex” in honor of the values Jennifer stood for and instilled in her children and so many community members.
Section 2. The City of Albuquerque Parks and Recreation Department is hereby directed to sign the sports complex the “Jennifer Riordan Spark Kindness Sports Complex” and to amend, as quickly as is reasonable, applicable City maps or lists to reflect the name change.
Section 3. The City of Albuquerque Parks and Recreation Department is directed to work with the Jennifer Riordan Foundation to plan a renaming ceremony that will honor the work and gifts Jennifer brought to our community.
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